Now in Association with

Ashton Hayes Community Energy CIC

Located in rural Cheshire, Ashton Hayes is a well knit community of about 1000 people that is aiming to become England's first carbon neutral community. We started our journey in January 2006 and since then we have already cut our carbon dioxide emissions significantly - by working together, sharing ideas and through behavioural change. We now have our community owned renewable energy company.

This website encapsulates our journey towards carbon neutrality and offers free advice and guidance. Please feel free to use anything from our website (we'd like a credit if you can).

The Government launches its new White Paper on Climate Change on Wednesday 15th July and to mark the occasion BBC TV News has decided to report from the village all day, every hour. Lots of people will be interviewed about climate change and what they are doing to combat it in the village. The BBC are coming along in a van powered by used oil from King Louis chip shop in Tarvin! Hear and see us us on Rado 4 Today programme, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Breakfast TV, BBC World News and throughout the day and online and on demand. Thanks to everyone for giving up time to be interviewed.

We are delighted to repor that the University of Chester says the results from this year's survey indicate that we have now reduced our carbon footprint by 23% since we began our journey in January 2006. Well done to everyone. Full details soon!

Mary Gillie explains the ideas for the microgrid to a packed hallLeft to right: Mary, Roy, Garry, Steve, Ged, Laura count the votes over a beer at the golden lionWe were delighted with the turnout to our public meeting last week. Around 100 people filled the hall of the Primary School to hear about the project, this year's carbon survey and progress on the community shop project and new renewable heating system for the school. Thanks to Head, Rob Ford, for allowing us to use the school, the guys from Leapfrog who came up from London and to everyone who helped to make the evening a success. We also asked people to 'vote' on whether we should go ahead and find out more about building a microgrid and had a 45:1 vote in favour of the idea.